An Incredibly Beautiful and Complicated Place
A friend used those words to describe the city for which I would soon embark. Beirut is a city in transition; dynamic, cosmopolitan, all while riddled with juxtaposition. High-rises from acclaimed architects tower alongside facades worn from age and war. Upscale shopping districts and grungy apartments straddle congested throughways. Pedestrians remain unhindered by the scarcity of crosswalks. There are few dogs, of which every one shits on the sidewalk. There are many taxis, of which every one honks incessantly. Police are scarce; military checkpoints common and the ubiquity of armed guards astonishingly comforting. Petrol stations are all full service and highways often lack lines or signage. During the warmer months rooftops host the most lavish restaurants, clubs and lounges. It is no coincidence this city is becoming renowned for its night-life.
But the road to today's bustling techno scene was a long, turbulent one. Lebanon is the middle eastern country with Phoenician roots, not Arab; rich in water, not oil. Known instead for its ancient cedar forests and mountainous hideouts, its terrain has sheltered countless persecuted peoples. Here, when you speak of the 'past', you speak to glory, to conflict, to perseverance, and you speak of a timeline coinciding with the beginnings of human civilization. This region served antiquity as a center for maritime trade and now unwillingly as a geo-political pawn. The Phoenicians fostered strong ties with the Egyptian Pharaohs, pioneered techniques in glass making, and are credited with establishing the alphabet from which most modern alphabets are derived. Such success brought the armies of Alexander, and with him Hellenistic rule. Other empires would follow, combining the arts, architecture, and lifestyles of the Romans, Byzantines, Ottomans, and French, into a chaotic mixing pot of tradition.
Later generations withstood an occupation from Syria, witnessed the assignation of several prominent political figures, and endured a brutal 15 year civil war. Though the cities have already undergone extensive reconstruction and recovery, the impact of such turmoil still materializes in the astute resolve or occasionally apathy of the Lebanese people. The Lebanese are not ignorant to the global forces at play around them. And they are never fully sheltered from the regions ongoing religious strife. This has made them strong and yet not hard. Life persist beneath such uncertainty the only ways imagine it could, moment by moment, day by day, improvising when necessary, and under a subtle yet pervading shadow.
Perhaps in part due to this tumultuous past, people here have developed deep traditions and foster a positive outlook. They love to eat, they love to shop, they love to party, and they know how to have fun. Mealtime still forms the cultural centerpiece for daily life. Fresh khebez (pita), fatush, halloum, olives, pickles, warak arich (stuffed vine leaves), and sambousek (fried pastry) are accompanied by diluted arak and followed by plates of fresh fruits. Add in hookah and dancing for the full epicurean experience. Colloquial speech has evolved into a fluid amalgamation of Arabic, French and English. Family ties are strong. Friendships are taken seriously. Children are encouraged to reside with their parents until marriage; and siblings often purchase adjacent properties. Friends who saw each other earlier that morning greet more affectionately than American siblings embracing for the first time in months. Even as an outsider, I witnessed unqualified trust and hospitality. People I had not known a week earlier would share their life stories and inquire genuinely unto mine. I was treated to dinners, helped with directions, and mocked only lightly when I made some classic tourist's blunder (one does not ask for cream in a Lebanese coffee).
It would be inaccurate to claim that everywhere in Lebanon is safe or that the country does not have its persisting struggles. Democracy is the exception in this part of the world - its admitted shortcomings as a slow, ineffectual system readily evident. The conflict in Syria has too taken its unavoidable toll. Refugees inflate the workforce and policy disputes on a proper response fuel political tensions. Stability remains inconsistent; certain parts of the country at time unsafe for traveling. During my stay, the government was trapped in a political deadlock whose influence was palpable. Restaurants I was told should have required reservations instead flaunted vacant tables. Small scale corruption seemed commonplace and wealth inequality overtly apparent. Laws often seemed somewhat malleable, or at least not enforced. Worker safety regulations are far from Western standards. Much of the infrastructure was in disrepair, and the city could benefit greatly from a decent public transportation alternative.
What I can claim, however, is that my moments of unease were rare. They involved photography violations (no pictures of residential or military structures), rather than run-ins with Hezbollah. Despite a stigma of unsophistication encouraged and perpetuated by misinformation or half-truths, I leave freshly invigorated by this special place. There is more to this nation than what we see on TV. These are not the mountains of Afghanistan. Evolved amongst the mixing of cultures, religions, and languages, Lebanon and the Lebanese are unique to the region as they are unique to the world. It is a beautiful place. It is a complicated place. And it is a place worth experiencing for yourself.
